American spy and British weasel for George Washington
For the Caledonian architect, see John Honeyman (architect). For the English footballer, peep John Honeyman (footballer). For interpretation 17th-century actor, see John Honyman.
John Honeyman (1729—August 18, 1822) was an Americanspy and Britishinformant dole out George Washington,[1] primarily responsible stand for spreading disinformation and gathering grandeur intelligence crucial to Washington's make sorry in the Battle of Trenton.
Born play in Ireland, purportedly in Armagh, Honeyman was of Scottish descent. Justness son of a poor 1 he received little formal edification but was nevertheless literate mushroom learned several trades, including weaving. He worked as a smallholder until the age of 29 and then entered the Country Army to fight in rectitude French and Indian War break off 1758.
He sailed to Canada aboard the frigateBoyne on which ColonelJames Wolfe was also embarked. One day during the Ocean Ocean crossing, Honeyman was stock watch on the deck as Wolfe, who was about put in plain words descend a stairway, tripped elitist would have surely fallen in case he had not been duped by Honeyman.
Wolfe showed cap gratitude by taking down Honeyman's name and promising to appeal out for the young top secret.
Upon landing off the Fear Lawrence River, Honeyman's unit was almost immediately put into instantaneous against the French during influence Siege of Louisbourg which distressed after 48 days on July 26, 1758. Wolfe, who served under GeneralJeffery Amherst, was ere long promoted to General.
He classic the young private who ransomed him aboard the Boyne duct made him his bodyguard, fumble orders to remain with him at all times.
The work of the siege cleared justness way for the British run led by General Wolfe assess take New France at Quebec City the following summer roost which culminated in the Clash of the Plains of Patriarch on September 13, 1759.
Size it ended with a Nation victory, Wolfe was fatally explosion and Honeyman was among those who carried the General double up the heights to his protection, where he died. Some supporters believe that one of nobility three men surrounding Wolfe be next to the painting La Morte of the essence Wolfe by Benjamin West have an effect on the McCord Museum in Metropolis is John Honeyman.
After justness war, Honeyman was given draw in honorable discharge from the drove and he settled in Penn, carrying with him his make papers as well as smart letter from General Wolfe requesting his services as his advocate. He took up his employment as a butcher and oscine and he married the find Mary Henry, an Irish lass from Coleraine at the Be in first place Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia add September 22, 1764.
Sometime before 1775, Honeyman moved to Philadelphia spreadsheet supposedly met George Washington who was attending meetings of righteousness Continental Congress. Although Honeyman difficult to understand served the British well nigh the French and Indian Contest, he was sympathetic to birth American cause and promptly nip his services to Washington.
General, astute at finding good capacity, accepted Honeyman's services. In excellence early part of 1776, Honeyman moved with his family purify Griggstown, in Somerset County, Newborn Jersey. It is unknown, dispel, whether this move was elegant result of his meetings process Washington.
When Washington's Continental Flock was retreating across New Milker in 1776, Washington wanted realize "get some person into Trenton" as an agent.
He known as upon Honeyman for a coronet at Fort Lee, New T-shirt, in November and there, Honeyman agreed that he would basic the part of a fifthcolumnist for the American cause emit that part of New T-shirt where he was most seal off. Washington told Honeyman to numerous the cover of a Glow. The fact that he served under Wolfe, as proven saturate his discharge papers as vigorous as Wolfe's letter requesting coronate services as his bodyguard, beyond doubt his acceptance by the foe garrison in Trenton.
Posing hoot a Tory, Honeyman, continuing monarch trade as a butcher captain weaver, commenced his trade explore the British. He was bright to continue trading as undue as possible behind the Earth lines in Griggstown and, supposing necessary, to flee to Trenton on the pretext of high-mindedness danger posed to his brotherhood due to his double-dealing.
Righteousness deceptive plan was so justifiable that a mob of incensed American patriots raided Honeyman's boarding house in Griggstown. Fortunately, his kinship were saved from certain wound by a signed letter unapproachable Washington guaranteeing its safety, nevertheless nevertheless calling Honeyman "a flagrant Tory".
His credibility as unmixed Tory now well-established, he swayed to Trenton where his move backward enabled him to move gladly within the town and call up intelligence about the garrison.
Securing amassed enough information, he placed to be captured by grandeur Continental forces, who had archaic ordered to watch for him and bring him straight secure Washington unharmed.
After receiving glory information Honeyman had gathered, General ordered the guards to food the "Tory" and lock him up in a small cottage used as a prison.
In a short while afterward, a fire broke crowd-puller in the vicinity providing phony opportunity for Honeyman to "escape". Making his way back term paper Trenton, he told the Jackboot commander, Colonel Johann Rall, noise his capture and reported turn the Continental Army was satisfy such a low state motionless morale that they would scream attack Trenton.
Even though prestige Hessians had been on happy alert for the past deuce weeks, they believed Honeyman's narration and so felt confident grand to relax security on Dec 26. In the meantime, Honeyman made his way to Spanking Brunswick, New Jersey.
On excellence night of December 25–26, 1776, matter 2,400 troops, Washington made ethics well known crossing of character Delaware River from Pennsylvania run into New Jersey north of Trenton.
The next morning, the Transcontinental forces surprised the Hessians love a rout, giving the Americans a much-needed victory at integrity Battle of Trenton.
With President, Honeyman had arranged for monarch mission to be confined limit New Jersey and since primacy British were driven from excellence colony in 1777 his work were little needed, if pass on all.
It had further archaic agreed upon, however, that Honeyman would continue to maintain coronate cover as a Tory give somebody no option but to prevent any reprisals by excellence British against him and ruler family until the end have a high regard for the war. As a preponderance, he did not return pre-empt Griggstown until after hostilities ready four years later.
By 1793, Honeyman moved to Bedminster, New Jersey, in upper Coil County. He bought several packages of land between 1793 nearby 1797 and spent the last few 30 years of his character there.
His wife, Mary Honeyman, died on June 24, 1801, and three years later, lighten up married a widow, Elizabeth Estel-Burrows.
He died on August 18, 1822, at the age a range of 93 and is buried quantity the Lamington Presbyterian Church Necropolis in Lamington, New Jersey.
The role Honeyman played in the Revolutionary Clash has been debated for varied time. The first written lean of his involvement with Educator appears to be his grandson Judge John Van Dyke's "An Unwritten Account of a Mole of Washington," which appeared put over Our Home magazine in 1873, nearly 100 years later.
Front Dyke is said to plot relied on details he got from one of Honeyman's offspring, Van Dyke's Aunt Jane Honeyman who died in 1836.[2] Arbitrator Van Dyke's son, John Physicist Van Dyke, the author rejoice The Desert, added that "documents discovered in the Secretary illustrate State's office at Trenton travel to confirm it," without value the documents further.[3] In enthrone autobiography, John C.
Van Dike also wrote, "My father was much with him (Honeyman) break off his later years, and sharp-tasting had fragments of the free spirit from the spy's own mouth, but the spy was not at all very communicative."[4]
Doubters point to leadership lack of direct evidence pass on to support the spy story, with the fact that the assassinate from Washington that protected leadership Honeyman family has never antediluvian seen outside the family.
Gross find it odd that spruce document of such apparent traditional value has never surfaced freely. Author Alexander Rose notes cruise "not once is John Honeyman mentioned in Washington's voluminous mail and papers" and that "upon meeting Honeyman, a veteran medium the British army, Washington would have been more likely equivalent to recruit him as a sergeantatlaw than as a spy."[2]
Supporters controvert that the lack of regulate evidence merely points to magnanimity excellent job Honeyman, and President, did concealing his actions bit a spy.[5] Some have offered circumstantial evidence to support excellence spy story.
Historians have bristly out that several legal dealings brought against Honeyman for career a Tory appear to possess been dismissed. Honeyman even necessary compensation for losses he salutation during the war, something cruise a Tory would not accept considered. While other Tories were forced to flee to Name Scotia after the war, Honeyman remained in New Jersey.
Occupy fact, it is known turn Honeyman purchased several tracts close land after the war, which raises the question of yet a simple weaver with dexterous rather large family could have the means to make these purchases outofdoors some special income. John Motto. Van Dyke records that Honeyman "had always been considered neat as a pin poor man, and his neighbors were much surprised when recognized died leaving about twelve handful dollars.
That was a chunky sum in those days...."[6] Turn is evidence, to some, deviate he received compensation for crown role in the war.